Langley Speedway Charity Races Feature Nascar Drivers

HAMPTON — A lady in Chicago has shown once again that NASCAR fans give generously when they see a need. In this case, it was $100 to support tonight's Hall Ford Race of Champions at Langley Speedway.

Winston Cup drivers Michael Waltrip and Steve Park, Busch Series driver Kenny Wallace and ARCA driver Kerry Earnhardt will sign autographs and run a series of match races in Late Models. During the program, a section of the grandstand will be dedicated to the late Dale Earnhardt.

The show is a fund-raiser for The Fan Club, a 3-year-old, Langley-based charity that focuses on youth and families in need. Among its projects: helping when floods ravaged Southampton County two years ago, collecting and distributing toys and Christmas trees, and financial support of Candy House, Youth Challenge and Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters.

Club president Jim Hicks began planning tonight's activities several months ago. Langley vice president Chuck Hall suggested it after hearing how successful a similar program had been at New River Valley Speedway.

"This is by far our biggest fund-raiser,'' Hicks said Tuesday. "It's a huge gamble for us because these people want their money up front, before they come in the gate. We're really sticking our necks out, but we're confident this area's fans will support us. The lady in Chicago read about it and sent $100, even though she can't be here. That's the kind of people race fans are."

Gates will open at 5 p.m. Drivers will sign autographs between 6 and 7:30, then spend time with event sponsors and members of The Fan Club. They'll run some practice laps before the first of their match races.

A 25-lap race among Hall Auto World employees will precede the feature, and Langley's weekly Wednesday night 1-on-1 street drags will complete the program. Tickets for adults are $15, but children 12 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.

As for the stars of the show:

* Waltrip became a racer because older brother Darrell was one. Even as Darrell Waltrip was climbing to Winston Cup stardom, "Mikey'' was learning in the Dash Series. He was its 1983 champion and its 1983 and 1984 most popular driver.

He ran five Cup races in 1985, then the full 1986-87 seasons for Dick Bahre. He raced eight seasons for Chuck Rider, three for the Wood Brothers and two with Jim Mattei/Jim Smith. He got his first Cup victory in this year's Daytona 500, his first start for Dale Earnhardt Inc. His resume also includes eight Busch and eight Dash victories.

* Park rudely hung up the first time Dale Earnhardt called with a job offer in 1996. "I didn't know it was him,'' Park explains. "I thought it was a friend playing a joke on me. I didn't have any idea Dale Earnhardt would be calling me about a ride. The second time he called, I recognized his voice.'' That call made the 1995 and '96 NAS-CAR Modified champion Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s first driver in 1997. He won three Busch Series races, was rookie of the year and finished third in points. He drove in five Cup races that year, but missed half of 1998 after crashing at Atlanta in March. Park got his first Cup victory last summer at Watkins Glen and his second this spring at Rockingham. He also has three Busch and 16 Modified victories.

* Wallace is another driver trying to follow a famous brother: Rusty. He moved up from local, short-track racing into the ASA tour in the 1980s, then moved to Busch in 1989 and Cup in 1990. He drove for six owners (in-cluding Felix Sabates and Robert Yates) before settling with Fil Martocci in 1995.

Wallace moved to Andy Petree for 1999 and last year, then joined the ill-fated No. 27 Eel River team this year. When that began falling apart - even after landing a sponsor two months ago - Wallace rejoined the Busch Series full time with the potent Cicci-Welliver team. He has never won a Cup race but has eight Busch victories and was second to Bobby Labonte in points in 1991.

* Kerry is "the other'' son of the late Dale Earnhardt, the one they call "Middle E.'' Now 31, he was somewhat estranged from his father and siblings until he was 16.

He didn't go racing until he was 21, when he began in Street Stocks at short tracks across North Carolina. He has competed in Goody's Dash, Late Model, Busch and ARCA and has one Cup start. He earned a major victory at last summer's ARCA 200 at Pocono and this summer at Michigan.

He and Waltrip are the only drivers in tonight's group with competitive laps at Langley. Waltrip raced here in the Dash Series in the early 1980s, and Earnhardt came in several years ago for a Pure Stock race.

HALL FORD RACE OF CHAMPIONS

* WHERE: Langley Speedway on North Armistead Avenue, near West Gate of Langley Air Force Base in Hampton.